Supporter.



W. B. WHITLOGK.

SUPPORTEE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 15, 1910.

W m M m 1H, .a 0 3 3 i w I w W N v t.

m i m B P 6 1 r I WILMOBE B. WHIILQCK, 'OE RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

SUPPOBTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 30, 1913.

Application filed October 15, 1910. Serial No. 587,192.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILMORE B. WHIT- LooK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Richmond, county of Henrico, and State of Vir inia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Supporters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to supporters for surgical use and particularly to supporters for the scrotum and contents when enlarged and painful and requiring support during treatment or for the comfort of the patient. Heretofore the supporters of this class have been receptacles of various designs, but in many cases a receptacle is objectionable.

The object of my invention is to provide a supporter of the class mentioned which shall constitute a soft cushion for the affected parts and that without inclosing them in a receptacle.

A further object of my invention is to provide an inflatable pneumatic device of the class under consideration to the end that it may be secured in position and then inflated to the desired amount for the comfort and benefit of the patient.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

My invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of tis specification and in which;

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a supporter embodying my invention in its preferred form, Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the device, and Fig. 3 is a side elevation thereof.

The device comprises a cushion member provided with suitable straps for securing the same to the wearer. It preferably consists of an inflatable bag ofv suitableshape.

equipped with a nipple through which it may be inflated or deflated.

Referring now to the drawings, 1 indicates the cushion. This is preferably a soft rubber bag and comprises a horizontal lower portion 2, and the upwardly and inwardly curved side portions 33. To the upper ends of the portions 3 are secured short straps 4:4: connected at their upper ends by an adjustable strap 5. By making the strap 5 adjustable the parts 33 may be adjusted toward or from each other as found neces sary or desirable, while still leaving the cushion sides more or less yieldable. To the upper end of one of the strips t is secured a belt 6, and to the other strip 4 is secured a buckle 7 whereby the belt may be secured to the wearer. The belt 6 is preferably elastic.

The bag or cushion 1 is provided with a reinforcing strip 8 of nonelast-ic fabric extending around the outer edge thereof and a similar strip 9 extending around the inner edge. The strips 8 and 9 are connected at the center of their inner edges by a strip 9' of similar material. To the side portions 8' of the strips 8 are secured short straps 10, each provided with a buckle 11, and to the strip 9 is secured a pair of straps 12 which are adapted to pass between the legs and around the thighs of the wearer to engage the buckles 11 for securely holding the device in position. The straps 12 are preferably elastic to give greater comfort to the wearer. A nipple 13 is provided through which the device may be inflated or deflated and 14: indicates a cap for the nipple.

15-15 indicate nonelastic strips secured longitudinally of the portions 3 upon the rear walls thereof. When the bag is inflated these prevent stretching of the inner walls as the outer walls expand, thereby curving the device as illustrated in Fig. 3 to better fit the person.

In use the device is secured in position.

with the belt passing around the waist and engaging the buckle 7. The scrotum is rested upon the portion 2 of the cushion and the straps passed between the legs and secured about the thighs by the buckles 11. The bag 1 is then inflated to the desired extent, dependent upon the condition of the parts and the comfort of the patient.

7 Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A device of the class described comprising a hollow air tight, U-shaped cushion, said cushion being formed of elastic material, an

inflating valve for said cushion and non- In testimony whereof I have signed my elastic members secured to the inner Walls name to th1s specification 1n the presence of of the vertical' portions of said cushion, two subscribing wltnesses.

whereby the concavity of the body engaging VILMORE B. WHITLOCK. portion of the device may be increased by Witnesses:

increasing the degree of inflation snbstan JAMES A. OTEY,

tially as described. I .GEQBGE A. JENNINGS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five pen-ts each,-;'by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

